Price and specifications of Plum Coach Plus advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Design and Build

The Plum Coach Plus comes with dimensions of 168 x 88 x 11.2 mm and weighs 250 grams. This ensures a solid feel in hand while offering a large 6.0-inch display. The device supports dual SIM capability, allowing users to maintain two separate numbers for personal and business use. Despite its heft, the design is relatively simple with a focus on functionality over form, available in basic colors like Black and White.

Display

The 6.0-inch IPS LCD display offers a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of around 184 ppi. While these numbers might not offer the sharpness found in modern smartphones, at the time of its release in 2014, this configuration was sufficient for basic media consumption and app usage. The 67.1% screen-to-body ratio emphasizes a significant bezel around the screen, which might feel dated by contemporary standards.

Performance

Under the hood, the Plum Coach Plus runs on a Mediatek MT8312 chipset with a dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU. This is paired with a Mali-400 GPU. While these specifications do not cater to heavy gaming or advanced graphics tasks, they provide enough power for standard operations like browsing, messaging, and basic app use. The device includes 512MB of RAM, which today might seem limited but allows for foundational multitasking capabilities.

Storage

The phone comes with 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSDXC card slot. This feature is critical given the limited internal space, allowing users to store additional data such as photos, music, and documents without significant constraints.

Camera Capabilities

Equipped with an 8 MP rear camera, the Plum Coach Plus can capture decent images with autofocus and LED flash support. Features like panorama and HDR add value to the photography experience, while video recording is available at 1080p@30fps, providing clear and concise video capture. The 2 MP front camera, although basic, includes face detection features for better selfies.

Battery Life

The device is powered by a removable Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery. Despite its modest capacity compared to today's standards, the battery offers up to 750 hours of standby time on 2G and up to 650 hours on 3G networks. Talk time is also respectable with up to 17 hours on 2G and 8 hours and 30 minutes on 3G. The removable battery feature allows users to swap out for a spare in case of extended usage needs.

Connectivity

The Plum Coach Plus supports a range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, and GPS for navigation. It carries a microUSB 2.0 slot for charging and data transfer. However, it lacks NFC capabilities, which might limit certain functionalities like mobile payments. An FM radio is included for entertainment on the go.

Network Capabilities

This device supports GSM and HSPA technologies, offering 2G and 3G band connectivity which was common for devices released during its time. It provides HSPA speeds of up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps, ensuring competent data handling in supported areas.

User Interface and OS

The smartphone runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, which was a popular choice during its time. This version of Android offered significant customization, app support, and functionality while being intuitive for new users. Though now outdated, the OS was known for smooth performance and rich features.

Additional Features

Incorporated sensors include an accelerometer, gyro, and proximity sensor, enhancing user interaction through responsive device handling. The phone also boasts a 3.5mm audio jack, allowing for the use of wired headphones and earphones, a feature that continues to hold value for many users today.

Conclusion

The Plum Coach Plus, while discontinued, was a device that handled the essentials of a smartphone experience with satisfactory results. Its combination of a sizable display, dual SIM capabilities, and a removable battery made it a versatile option for budget-conscious consumers when it launched. Though it falls short in comparison to today's smartphone advancements, the device offered a suitable compromise on performance and features for its time.